Opinions Wanted 55 1/2 x 119 1/2 acrylic box

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trinity

trinity

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Oct 27, 2007
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Loc
Philadelphia
Fellow Grumblers,

I am working on a project for an artist who has created a mixed media work on paper. The paper size is 52 1/2 x 116 1/2. The artist does NOT want a frame but would like to protect the art.

I suggested that we could build a stretcher (55 1/2 x 119 1/2) gallery wrap canvas and hinge the artwork to that, have a 5 sided plexi box fabricated to slip over the canvas and screw into place from the sides.

We have done alot of framing and fun projects for the artist in the past...the artwork keeps getting bigger and projects more interesting:icon21:

looking forward to your comments and advice,
Thanks,
Butch
 
Paul N said:
Will you be able to move this piece around your shop and out of the door??
Click to expand...

We have the space, keeping it in one piece is the real question:beer:
 
Acrylic boxes that big are very fragile. A welded aluminum frame or asimple wood framer, with spacer that is screwed to the strainer has worked well, in the past, for thing at this scale.
 
preservator said:
Acrylic boxes that big are very fragile. A welded aluminum frame or asimple wood framer, with spacer that is screwed to the strainer has worked well, in the past, for thing at this scale.
Click to expand...

We have done a few large frames (painted white maple) for this customer in the past...She was hoping to do something different this time. That was my first suggestion, we may have to revisit that option:)
 
As Paul said, the plexi is likely to bend. Somewhat related, I suspending some plexi off a wall using standoffs. The plexi was about 48-inches high, and 14 feet long. Using 3/8" thick plexi, it was still incredibly flexible. It took me and a team of construction guys to get to stay on the wall. Also took a minimum of two grown gorillas to move around. And this was for a simple single sheet of acrylic!

Have fun, god bless you all who get the big projects to work on!
 
I highly recommend exploring other options!

I have done a 4' x 6' plex box on a quilt, and a 4' x 8' plex box on a large tapestry. They were the BIGGEST headaches!! The plex boxes where very fragile due to twisting issues before being screwed onto the plugs (wrapped frames inserts). It took four of us to get the boxes onto the backs without twisting and cracking the corners. This was after screwing up the first box and having it repaired!

I will NEVER do another plex box on such a scale. And yes...it was made out of the thicker plex.
 
I hope they are a very rich artist. I would probably recommend a frame shop that routinely works on items of this size like Bark or Gerlach in New York.

I myself have worked on large pieces and I would send this one away.
 
I agree that an acrylic box would not be feasible. The weight of the front sheet will be entirely on the glue joint with the bottom side of the box.

As to other ideas, it would depend on several factors. Is the piece going to hang in it's final location, or going to a gallery in hope of selling it?

Any thing this large is going to be heavy and awkward to work on.

Good luck.
 
Thank you for all the advice. It is greatly appreciated.

I will keep you up to date on this project.

Butch
 
We have successfully made and delivered an acrylic frame of that dimension and in fact larger. We will be happy to quote the job and explain our process. The determining factor is how deep the acrylic frame needs to be. The size is no problem. Please call our toll free number. Sorry I didn't see this sooner.
 
I agree with Lois. I priced out an order of similar size and was impressed with the price I got from Small Corp. They seemed to have no issue with the size or with flexing issues. Wouldn't called Lois, but Small Corp is reasonably close to me!

The designer had his bid fall through, that would have been a great job to do!
 
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